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YOU GOING AMERICAN OR GERMAN? HERE'S A FORD MUSTANG GT VS BMW M2 DRAG RACE COMPARISON TO HELP CHOOSE.

Published: 2023-12-18 16:03:56 Last Updated: 2023-12-18 17:17:50

Sportscars are big business these days, just about every major manufacturer has a dog in the fight, from the European main players with BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi to the best of the States in the form of the Mustang and the recently departed Camaro, there are some very cool options. These days modern sportscars offer up performance that was previously reserved for supercars, they’re just that fast. Some are marketed as being motorsports-oriented, while others fall under the banner of grand tourers so they’re not usually compared to each other. This new content for Sam CarLegion is quite interesting because it pits one of the most iconic and best-selling sportscars of all time, the Ford Mustang, up against a true driver’s car from the house of M in the form of the latest generation BMW M2. While they both have similar power on tap and they’re close enough in weight to compete in a title bout, one is known to be superior in the handling stakes. Obviously, we’re talking about the BMW M2 here because when it comes to handling prowess the Mustang is more suited to memes of people losing control on straight roads. Don’t get us wrong, a Mustang can work as a weekend track toy, but it will take a more experienced driver and in many cases, some aftermarket tweaking to the underpinnings. But we’re not here to see how these two popular sportscars handle the twisties, this is a good old drag-and-dig race setup to see which is fastest in a straight line. A test like this does make sense because we thumbsuck a guestimate that at least 95% of these cars won’t ever see action at a track day, but will 100 % give it a hoofing if they end up alongside each other at a random traffic light on a straight road. Hopefully with a lane gap between them in case the Mustang does Mustang things.

Even though these two cars are from different worlds, it’s still awesome to see how they fare heads-up against each other. On the German front, the 2023 BMW M2 has some impressive specs. Under the hood is BMW’s beast of a Twin-turbocharged 3.0 litre inline-6 that’s mated to a 6-speed manual transmission with power sent to the rear wheels. There’s 338 kW and 550 Nm of torque available, and the whole package tips the scales at 1,700 kg. The USA’s representative is the run-of-the-mill Ford Mustang GT, and this one has no forced induction, the 5.0 litre V8 breathes on its own. There are big lungs though as it’s rated at a higher 362 kW with 566 Nm of torque. This one also has a 6-speed manual transmission and all that power is also directed at the rear wheels only. It’s heavier than the M2, but only by 14 kg, which is pretty much the difference between driving with or without having a healthy morning bowel movement. On paper the Mustang has it, but we all know that quoted figures really don’t mean too much in a real-world test, especially when it comes to sportscars. Driver skill comes into the equation, as does the build-up of power. Unless you’re racing at bang-on sea level, the normally aspirated V8 will not give up all its quoted ponies, and with the M2 having boost to make power means it can use more of its available horses no matter the altitude. One thing that also comes into play is the gear and differential ratios, and the BMW is known to have a monster of a 3rd gear so if cogs are swapped into 3rd before the Mustang, it should be a case of game over. Which car do you think will come out tops in this drag race and roll race comparison? It should be a no-brainer…

Take a look at the YouTube video that was put together by Sam and the crew at Sam CarLegion to help sportscar buyers choose between one of the best cars to ever come out of the M Performance stable and a good old American staple, the new 2024 Ford Mustang GT. We already know the BMW will outclass the 'Stang on a circuit, but this is one of those speed-over-distance tests: 2024 Ford Mustang GT vs 2023 BMW M2, closer than you think. Drag and Roll Race. | Sam CarLegion

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Article Tags: BMW Ford BMW M2 Ford Mustang Comparison Drag Race SXdrv Sam CarLegion Sportscars Sportscar News